Originally published in The Commons Journal.
There’s nothing more daunting than nearing a deadline with creative block looming over your head. It’s like time has never moved so fast – if only it would when you’re stuck waiting for your takeaway coffee at 8:59am (*shudders*).
Anyone working in the creative space will know this feeling all too well. Right when you need your brain the most, it’s gone and put on its “Do Not Disturb” sign and is nowhere to be found.
And don’t get us wrong, working in the industry certainly has its perks (greater autonomy, creative freedom, flexibility, etc.), but when you’re stuck for an idea it can be pretty stressful.
Did you know creative block can be categorised in a multitude of ways?
From your environment to your thinking patterns, emotional state and intellect, the hurdles that stand in between us and uncapped creative freedom are vast.
One professor labelled these blocks as Perceptual (“my experiences, expectations and values are hampering my creative problem-solving”), Emotional (“my feelings of self doubt and fear of failure are impacting my ability to explore new ideas”), Environment (“my surroundings don’t inspire me to do my best work”) and Intellectual (“my cognitive skills hinder my ability to express my ideas”).
Whether you’ve experienced one or all of these obstacles, the first step to overcoming them is to recognise what factors are at play, and work on addressing them one at a time.
To help you along your journey, we’ve rounded up a collection of tried-and-tested tips so you can deliver your best work, on time and every time. You’re welcome.
Change up your environment
This first tip may seem pretty straight forward, but your environment has a lot to do with your ability to focus on the task at hand. And there was no truer example of this than working from home during the pandemic.
In fact, the spaces we occupy have the ability to directly influence our mood. It’s the same reason we feel relieved when we retreat to our bedrooms after a long, hard day (the prospect of sleeping, maybe?).
So if we apply this thought process to the workplace, there are spaces that feel inviting and others that make our eye twitch. That’s the beauty of human-centred design, every nook and cranny has been purposefully designed to make you feel something – and in the case of The Commons, we aim for the former.
If your desk isn’t cutting it for you, try working from one of the many unique common areas at your disposal. From record lounges to collaborative zones, sunken lounges, booths and more, there’s a space for every mood.
Alternatively, go old school and head out for a walk.
In fact, a 2014 study found that a person’s creative output increased by an average of 60% when walking. Something about physically moving forward makes us feel like we’re making progress. Perhaps the same reason why some people pace back and forth when trying to figure something out.
Give yourself permission to fail
As a society, we’re fixated on success. This is even more present in the creative space, where empathy and perfectionism go hand in hand. But often in our pursuit toward the biggest and best idea, we overlook a series of other ideas that, with a little work, have the potential to be great.
Instead of focusing on finding the best outcome, start by coming up with many of them.
Write down any and all ideas, even if it reads like word vomit. It’s much easier to chop and change up concepts when you have a lot to work with, rather than trying to refine the same idea over and over again – in which case, you’ll probably end up hating it before it’s even finalised.
Having a visual representation of your thought process is handy, too. A mood board, mind map and handwritten notes can often help piece together new or unusual ideas (in this case, we recommend making use of one of the many brainstorming walls found in The Commons).
Go back to basics
It may seem a little counterintuitive, but sometimes thinking inside the box is the key to thinking out of it. Let us explain.
Often a project or task can seem so big that it’s overwhelming. Especially when there are so many elements involved, it’s easy to lose track of what really matters and feel creatively paralyzed.
Think back to a time where you had to write an essay or produce a piece of work on a topic of your choice. For some, having unlimited reign on the task at hand offers an exciting opportunity. But for others, it can be intimidating.
This is because humans thrive on structure. Structure offers security and a sense of control – especially during times of stress (like battling with creative block).
Post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh put it best when he said “Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.”
By setting restrictions, goals and breaking down your work into manageable chunks, you’re able to better focus and avoid procrastinating.
If it’s writing, this could look like jotting down your main ideas, fleshing out a structure and focusing on an idea at a time. The same can be said for composing music, where focusing on one part of the piece at a time feels a whole lot easier. In the case of design, limiting your colour palette or typography can help form the basis of your work and let it develop organically.
And so on. But you get our point, right?
Seek inspiration elsewhere
You and your work don’t exist in a vacuum. Inspiration is all around you, you just have to know where to look.
And if you don’t, a good start is to explore other related creatives’ work. Consume their content and consider what they’re doing that you admire. Or, what they aren’t doing. Areas of opportunity may spark a new, unique approach.
Spend some time away from your desk people watching. Observe environments, conversations, relationships. Often people themselves are the biggest source of inspiration.
Read a great book. Even if it has nothing to do with your work, you may find unexpected inspiration in the pages of authors you look up to.
Listen to your favourite podcast. Sometimes a fresh perspective is all you need to look at your work differently.
Lastly, talk to other creatives. Great conversations can ignite ideas. Share your work or struggles with them and be open to receiving their feedback.
Take time to recharge
Lastly, and this one is pretty simple: take a break.
We’ve all heard Snickers’ philosophy “You’re not you when you’re hungry”, well, the same goes for tiredness. When we’re feeling overworked our brain feels fatigued, which makes problem solving especially challenging.
That’s why it’s important to schedule regular breaks during your work day. It’s so easy to get caught up in the zone and reserve breaks as a reward for ticking off items on your to-do list, but breaks should be treated as a priority.
Now we’re not saying you should take a 20-minute break every hour, but experts advise that a short, 2-3 minute break every 25-30 minutes does wonders for the mind (not to mention the eyes).
As frustrating as it is, creative block comes part and parcel with the creative process. Don’t let it send you into the depths of despair. Or make you feel like you don’t have an original thought left in your head. It may take some time, but there is no shortage of new ideas out there. You just have to find them.